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Patented Aug. 2, I898. E. PRICE.

CORN PLANTER. (No Model.) (Applicatio-n filed Aug. 9, 1897.)

2 Sheeta$haet I;

WITNESSES: IIVVEAfTO/z 7 EZm/erfrace,

I r WW ATTO Patented Aug. 2, I898.

E. PRICE.

CORN PLANT ER. (Application ii1sd Aug. 9, 1897.)

2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

ihvrrnn STATES Parent FFlCE.

ELMER PRICE, OF KIRKLIN, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES W. MILLER, OF SAME PLACE.

CO'RN-PLANTE'R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. eoseei', dated August 2, 1898. Application filed August 9, 1897. Serial No. 647,625. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELMER PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kirklin, in the county of OlintonandState of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Planters, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of my said invention is to produce a corn-planter, grain-drill, or similar machine in the operation of which the marking shall be accurately done by devices carried by the machine itself, dispense.

ing with the wire and mechanism usually incident to check-rowing.

A machine embodying said invention will be first fully described, an d the novel features thereof then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and onwhich similar letters and numerals of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a corn-planter provided with'mechanism embodying my said invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a view similar to a portion of Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale, of those portions of the machine where the principal features of my invention are located; Fig. 4, a view showing said mechanism in rearelevation as seenfrom the dotted line.

4 4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a detail horizontal sectional view 'as seenfrom the dotted line 5 5 in Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 a perspective view of a spring-catch carried by the marker which operates theseed-dropper.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the framework of the planter; B, the axle thereto; 0, the shaft to the markers; D, the seedboxes, and E the operating device for the seed-dropperj The machine, generally speaking, is or may be of any usual ordesired form, and the frame A, axle B, main wheels B, and other ordinary parts will not, therefore,be further described herein except incidentally in describ ing the invention.

The shaft 0 is suitably mounted in the forward portion of the frameand carries the markers upon its ends. It is driven by a sprocket-chain 0, running from a sprocketwheel I) on the axle B to a sprocket-wheel c, which is loosely mounted on the shaft 0. The

sprocket-wheel c'has a clutch-face on'one end of its huh, which is adapted to engage with a similar clutch-face on the adjacent end of the hub of the wheel 0 which wheel or disk O is rigidly secured to said. shaft 0. At the other end of the hub of the wheel a a circumferential groove is formed in which a collar 0 is fitted, and suitable connections running from this collar, as the pivoted arm 1, link 2, bell-crank lever 3, and connecting-rod 4, enable the operator, through the lever 5, to throw the clutch-faces of the parts a and 0 into or out of engagement at will, so that the shaft 0 may be either revolved or permitted to remain at rest, as may be desired. The shaft C may be revolved slightly at any time independently of the force of the axle B by aratchet-lever G the catch whereof engages with suitable notches or teeth in the periphery of the disk 0 This is for the purpose of permitting a relative adjustment of the shaft C to the axle B. r

Upon the ends of the shaft .0 are the markers, which are composed of hubs 6, sleeves 7, rods 8, and marking-heads 9. The construction isloest shown in'Fig. 4:, Where each marking-head 9 is shown as having two rods 8, which enter the jsleeves7 and rest against springs s. The rods 8 have projectionsp, (which may hemaehine screws or bolts, as shown,) which extend out through slots in the sleeves 7 and are adaptedto slide in said slots. This constructionunites the sleeves 7 and rods 8. The springs s serve to hold the rods 8 out to the limit of their movement, except when the marking-heads 9 come in contact with some irregularity in the ground, when the springs will yield sufficiently to permit the markers to pass without raising the mechanism from its proper position. The shaft 0 is shown as telescopic at the outer ends, one part being slipped within the other and secured by set-screws c, as best shown in Fig. 4E. The purpose of this is to permit the markers to be adjusted in and out somewhat,

so as to occupy positions a little nearer to or farther from each other. i

The seedboxes D may be of any usual construction and have the usual seed-tubes D, leading toward the ground, with the runners running therefrom. Two valves are located within the seed-tube and are operated by the lever B which is carried from an arm d on the seed-tube. These valves, as they are opened and closed, measure the amount of seed to be planted and drop it into the ground, as will be readily understood. As shown most plainly in Fig. 3, an arm 01 is connected to the lever B and the end of this arm projects out into the path of a peculiarlyformed spring-catch or seed-dropper-operating device carried from the portions 7 of the marker. A rigid arm (1 extends out from the seed-tube D directly below the arm 61 The seed-dropper-operating device E is secured to a part 7 of the marker, preferably by set-screws e, and is adjustable thereon to any position. Its operative portion is bent into the form of a U-shaped spring, as shown most plainly in Figs. 5 and 6, the free end whereof is of a peculiar form, the hook or catch portion a of which is adapted to engage with the end of the arm d while an inclined or cam portion 11 (positioned immediately alongside said catch portion) is adapted to come in contact with the end of the projection 01 and, as the movement of the marker is continued, compress the spring and throw the catch out of engagement with the arm (1 thus permitting said dropping device to pass on, as the marker revolves, free from the dropping mechanism. These parts are so constructed and arranged that the escape takes place just as the dropping-valve has been thrown to the proper point to drop the seed. When the device E passes, the valves are returned to their former position by the spring S, as will be clearly understood by an examination of Fig. 3.

The operation of a machine embodying this invention may be briefly stated as follows: Upon the starting of the machine the clutchfaces between the wheels 0 and O are thrown apart, and the shaft 0 is, by means of the ratchet-lever O revolved so that the marker mechanism bears the desired relation to the other mechanism. Said clutch-faces are then thrown into engagement and the machine is driven over the field in the usual manner. The markers being properly arranged, the marking-heads 9 mark the ground accurately, as will be readily understood, the shaft 0 thereto being driven from the axle B by the chain 0 or otherwise. The rods, sleeves, and springs which enter into the construction of the markers enable the marking-heads to move in and out radially as said markingheads pass over inequalities in the ground, so that the spacing or operation of the mechanism shall not be disturbed thereby. The seed-dropping valves are operated by the devices E and springs S, as stated, and necessarily operate simultaneously with the marking-heads, there being no interposed devices to cause variations or get out of order. Thus great accuracy of operation is secured with the very simple and inexpensive construction described.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a corn-planter, of a marking mechanism composed of a shaft, a loosely-mounted driving-wheel thereon, a rigidly-mounted wheel or disk alongside said loosely-mounted wheel, clutch-faces on the hubs of said wheels respectively, means for throwing said clutch-faces into and out of engagement, a ratchet-lever engaging with the rigidly-mounted wheel or disk, whereby the same and the shaft may be independently rotated and thus adjusted in relation to the driving mechanism, and markers consisting of double sleeves mounted on the ends of said shaft, the heads 9- each having the two rods 8 which enter said sleeves 7 and-rest against the springs s, a head being mounted in each end of said sleeves 7, and means for limiting the movement of said rods in said sleeves, all substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a planter, of the seedboxes, spouts leading therefrom, seeddropping valves located in said spouts, a revolving marker located near said boxes and spouts, an arm extending out from the valve mechanism, and the U -shaped spring-catchE mounted on one side of the marker and adapted to come in contact with said arm and operate said valve mechanism as the marker revolves, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the seed-valves of a planter, an arm extending out therefrom, a projection extending out from a rigid part near said arm, a revolving part near said valve mechanism, and a seed-dropper-operating device having a hook or catch portion 11 adapted to engage with the arm of the dropper mechanism, and an inclined or cam portion o adapted to come in contact with the projection alongside said arm, whereby as the motion is continued a disengagement of the parts is effected, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination, in a seed dropper mechanism with the dropping-valves, of a seed-dropper-operating device E having a spring-arm one portion of the face whereof is in the form of a catch adapted to engage with a projection on the dropping mechanism, and the other portion of the face whereof is a cam adapted to effect a disengagement between said parts substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 13th day of July, A. D. 1897.

ELMER PRICE. [L. s]

Witnesses:

CHESTER BRADFORD, JAMES A. WALSH. 

